DISCLAIMER: This is going to be the nerdiest post I’ve ever written, and that’s saying something.
April Fools’ Day is usually rubbish, especially on the internet. Everyone in the world suddenly thinks they have the capacity to pull the next great hoax, and it’s annoying. But occasionally we get something kind of awesome from people who aren’t taking themselves too seriously. Fortunately for us, the fine people at New Japan Pro Wrestling seem to have no problem loosening up and making something flat-out RIDICULOUS.
The video you’re about to see consists of Ryusuke Taguchi taking on Tomoaki Honma. You may notice that they’re both wearing masks based on the all-time classic anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. You have been warned.
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First of all, this post would never have possible without my friend Brent, who lent me Evangelion DVDs back in seventh grade and pretty much changed what I though anime was capable of. If I had to do it all again, I probably wouldn’t have watched the series that young, though. When you’re an adult, you’re already mostly aware that the general state of things is kind of messed up, but a thirteen-year-old’s brain just kind of goes “ha ha, wait whaaaaaaat” when presented with existential voids such as NGE. (Brent now works on the excellent show Rick and Morty, by the way.) Anyway, let me nitpick this into oblivion!
Pros:
- Honma puts up a pretty solid AT Field about halfway through.
- Taguchi is selling this like a genius. Remember, Shinji was super clumsy in his EVA unit in early episodes.
- The fire shot at the end, because are you kidding me this rules.
- Honma’s kind of a jobber, so having him be Sachiel is perfect. Imagine how boned Taguchi would be going up against Ramiel, who I can only imagine would be played by Minoru Suzuki.
Cons:
- Wait, sorry, Suzuki’s actually more of a One Piece guy. True story.
- Could we not get Antonio Inoki to play Gendo?
- I’m jumping ahead in the canon here, but Taguchi totally should have gone berserk and crushed one of his friends to death with his bare hands. I’m thinking Captain New Japan.
- If Taguchi doesn’t debut a new finisher called Third Impact, I quit.
- WHY WOULD YOU NOT OPEN WITH “CRUEL ANGEL’S THESIS”
